The lineup of the always brilliant Indietracks Festival in England is taking shape and we are very excited that our very own Pale Sunday are among the featured artists this year! The band is getting plenty of good attention following the release of the ‘Shooting Star’ EP (matinée 073) in January and some of our favorite recent quotes include Pennyblack Magazine calling the EP “a cracking collection of songs” and All Music Guide reporting “the group still has the same wistfully jangling feel that will endear them to fans of classic groups like the Razorcuts.”

Despite hailing from Brazil, the band receives loads of favorable comparisons to classic Scottish pop groups. In reviewing the EP, In Love With These Times wrote “the title number is newly confident, a strident, riproaring popsong which combines the necessary “we’re back!” feel with a whiff of mid-period BMX Bandits,” while Brill Dream concluded “this is pop sunny side up, joyfully reminiscent of Teenage Fanclub and even the early pop prowess of Super Furry Animals. Try listening to the sun soaked title song without the smells of BBQ’s and freshly cut grass wafting up your nostrils.”

Full release details and more reviews can be found on the catalog page, and there’s a free download of ‘Shooting Star’ up on the sounds page so have a listen. Pale Sunday’s debut single ‘A Weekend With Jane’ (matinée 049) and album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) are having a bit of a sales renaissance thanks to the new single so if you didn’t discover them on original release now’s a great time to catch up so you can sing along at Indietracks!

Danish hitmakers Northern Portrait continue to impress with the debut album ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) generating smashing reviews all across the globe!

In recent press action, the esteemed Magnet Magazine wrote “swoon-worthy and charming, Northern Portrait is twee at its finest and Criminal Art Lovers is indie pop for the literati and fans of the Smiths,” while the always spot-on In Love With These Times concluded “Criminal Art Lovers sounds much as you thought and probably hoped it would, a patchwork quilt of mesmeric jangle, of lyrical ache and longing, of masterly song arrangement sugared with generous dabs of knowingly Mozza-esque vox.”

Meanwhile, the respected Pennyblack Magazine christened it “a fantastic album,” while Subpopstar concluded “Criminal Art Lovers proves massive budgets aren’t required to achieve stunning results,” and Indiefy suggested “forget those poor fools who still harp on about The Smiths comparisons and immerse yourself in an album which will still be standing tall at the end of the year. Fantastic stuff!”

Finally, top download merchant emusic recently selected Northern Portrait in its ‘Artists to Watch in 2010′ feature, writing “more than any year in recent memory, 2010 has already seen the arrival of a boatload of intriguing new talents, including Northern Portrait’s aching update of the Smiths’ sunny jangle.”

The catalog page has a bounty of great reviews and other release details, and the sounds page is featuring a free download of album highlight ‘New Favourite Moment’ right now so go get it!

We’ve just sold through the first pressing of ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ but a repressing is already on its way so don’t despair if you haven’t picked yours up yet. Unfortunately we can’t say the same for the band’s debut single ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ (matinée 068) as that one is now completely sold out. We still have about 100 copies left of the second EP ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ (matinée 070) so get that while you can.

Northern Portrait is headlining the Copenhagen Popfest next month and planning additional live dates this summer. Stay tuned for details on live action and an ace new single as well!

Happy February! We’ve had a new release each of the last four weeks so not a bad way to start off the year. The reviews are starting to roll in now so we can rely on the pithy prose of the music press to help spread the word about the brilliance of these releases. Here are a few choice early quotes that help make my job today an easy one:

Our stunning new label compilation ‘The Matinée Grand Prix’ (matcd050) is a fantastic introduction to some of the best indie bands of today, and the always spot on A Layer of Chips calls it “a smashing little snapshot of an always loveable label.” Meanwhile, hip Danish blog Hits in the Car writes “Grand Prix is an absolutely amazing collection of indie pop tunes and darn close to being the perfect gateway to the genre as well as the Matinée roster,” Russell’s Reviews declares it “a marvellous collection that should inspire you to investigate the label’s back catalogue further,” and indie bible Indie-mp3.co.uk concludes “there isn’t a bad track on the set and it serves as a highly credible introduction to a merry band of minstrels who deserve some serious attention.”

You can see full release details and read these reviews and others on the Grand Prix catalog page. There is a free mp3 of the ace Simpático song from the album now featured on the Matinée sounds page so please have a listen. Among its many highlights, did we mention it includes the very last song ever recorded by our good pals The Lucksmiths? That is reason enough to set you scurrying but there are ten more equally valid reasons so off to the Matinée shop!

The new album ‘Seconds’ (matcd053) from Sweden’s The Electric Pop Group is also just out and an absolute triumph for the band. Gothenburg taste merchants Fraction Discs conclude “with ten beautiful and brittle gems picking inspiration from the English 80’s and early 90’s, this is a perfect pop album,” while Burning World writes “The Electric Pop Group have just released their debut album for Matinée and to call it a treat is understating the case.” Closer to home, Austin Town Hall confesses “I haven’t been able to get The Electric Pop Group out of my head, and I don’t think that I really want to either,” and A Layer of Chips suggests “you’re not going to hear many of these songs at your local indiepop knees up, but for nights in during a cold winter, you’ll struggle to find another album that’ll keep you company as well.”

Please see the catalog page for full reviews and other release details. Lead track ‘Not By Another’ is available as a free download on the Matinée sounds page and because we like you so much, you can also download ‘The Way It Used To Do’ from a secret location here. It’s a good one, eh? Now that you’re convinced about the album, you may also want to pick up the band’s 2008 ‘Sunrise’ EP (matinée 067) as it contains four exclusive songs and they’re outstanding as well. The band is working on select live dates in the coming months so please check here or the band’s Myspace page for details.

Danish legends-in-the-making Northern Portrait are basking in the success of the debut album ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) with great reviews popping up everywhere at the moment. Among our early favorites, the mighty Aversion.com come right out and say it: “After 23 years without a band able to approximate The Smiths’ formula, it’s hard to fault Northern Portrait for finally getting it right, isn’t it?” English biggie God Is In The TV take a slightly more artful approach, writing “this could indeed be your new favourite moment and if the queen really is dead, then Northern Portrait are perfect regal successors!” The cool kids at Just Played hit the nail on the head, writing “literate, emotive indie is often hard to find and when another band pop up delivering captivating songs to such a high standard it’s cause for celebration,” while the ever-trusty All That Ever Mattered conclude “it’s impossible to not love this album right from the start.”

The catalog page has lots of reviews and other release details, and the sounds page is featuring a free download of album highlight ‘New Favourite Moment’ so go get it! You can now download the title track ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ here too as an example of something slightly different. If you don’t have copies of the band’s earlier EPs ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ (matinée 068) and ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ (matinée 070) you better hurry as they are selling fast again on the strength of the album and may not be around for long. The band has several imminent dates in the UK and Spain plus others coming up in Denmark and elsewhere so please visit them on Myspace for details.

The new single ‘Shooting Star’ (matinée 073) from Brazil’s Pale Sunday is also just out and making friends in the UK music press in particular. Among our favorites, Russell’s Reviews describes the songs as “bright and breezy pop…effortlessly cool…sweet stuff indeed” and suggests comparisons to The Lucksmiths, Velvet Crush and Teenage Fanclub, while A Layer of Chips say “not many bands do it better…reminds me of labelmates Math and Physics Club, with a touch of Siesta’s louche, lounge-pop thrown in.”

Check out release details on the catalog page and enjoy the free download of ‘Shooting Star’ over on the Matinée sounds page. Pale Sunday are ace so in addition to the new EP you may want to pick up the stunning debut single ‘A Weekend With Jane’ (matinée 049) and their album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037) as both will help make winter a whole lot shorter this year.

While we’re at it, recent single ‘Picture Perfect’ (matinée 072) from Scotland’s Strawberry Whiplash has amassed loads of great reviews which are now collected on the catalog page. Some places that get it especially right include the venerable Magnet Magazine calling the EP “four sunny tracks with sweet, girlish vocals and plenty of fuzz and reverb,” and the all-powerful All Music Guide suggesting “indie pop fans looking for a sugar fix along the lines of The School or The Pains of Being Pure at Heart would be well-served to check out this little disc.” The Indie Handbook conclude “Strawberry Whiplash reach a degree of excellence in the opening measures of this EP that few bands can even dream of and manage to sustain it throughout all four tracks without ever becoming pretentious,” and The Devil Has The Best Tuna deliver the best pull quote of all, writing “an EP that’s as sweet as a chocolate covered strawberry dipped in sugar and indier than Steve Lamacq’s ipod, Strawberry Whiplash deserve a place in your heart.”

You can read the other ace reviews on the catalog page and download the splendid title track on the sounds page. This EP really is brilliant and the perfect companion to the band’s debut ‘Who’s In Your Dreams’ EP (matinée 065) from 2008. Strawberry Whiplash is currently working on songs for a debut album which hopefully will be out this year as well!

Looks like that order you’ve been meaning to place just got a little larger…

Finally, it’s no change atop the Matinée hit parade but the competition is fierce with four new releases. Here are the top ten sellers for January:

10. The Hermit Crabs – Correspondence Course CDEP
9. The Electric Pop Group – Sunrise CDEP
8. Cats on Fire – Our Temperance Movement CD
7. Northern Portrait – The Fallen Aristocracy CDEP
6. Strawberry Whiplash – Picture Perfect CDEP
5. Pale Sunday – Shooting Star CDEP
4. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP
3. Various – The Matinée Grand Prix CD
2. The Electric Pop Group – Seconds CD
1. Northern Portrait – Criminal Art Lovers CD

We’ll be back soon with news about Matinée releases in the pipeline and something else that’s somewhat unexpected but fairly exciting.

matcd053
THE ELECTRIC POP GROUP – SECONDS

Tracklisting:
1. Not By Another
2. Out Of Sight
3. I Know I Will
4. Drawing Lines
5. My Only Inspiration
6. In The Back Of My Mind
7. The Way It Used To Do
8. Into Thin Air
9. We Never Made Up Our Minds
10. The Best Of Times

Sensational sophomore album from Swedish pop heroes The Electric Pop Group! Following the success of the band’s self-released debut in 2006 and the very well received ‘Sunrise’ EP (matinée 067) for Matinée in 2008, the band is back with ten magnificent new recordings that solidify their status as heir apparent to the pop throne once held by Matinée favorites Harper Lee and Sarah Records legends Brighter.

The new album ‘Seconds’ is a study in multilayered, shimmering pop featuring jangling electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and prominent keyboards plus rich bursts of tambourine, strings and other nice instrumentation. Among the album’s highlights, lead track ‘Not By Another’ is a melodic love song with chiming guitars, while ‘Out Of Sight’ mixes keyboards and guitars in an infectious pop hit with fantastic vocals and a soaring chorus.

One of the newest songs on the album, ‘The Way It Used To Do’ is catchy, continental pop with keyboards, jangling guitars, and an addictive chorus that recalls early Acid House Kings. Meanwhile, the band demonstrates it can also deliver modern shoegaze classics with ‘The Best of Times’ showcasing a muti-layered, hazy melancholy with hypnotic percussion.

The album also includes a new recording of ‘My Only Inspiration’, an Electric Pop Group favorite that first appeared on the ‘Matinée Hit Parade’ compilation (matcd045) in 2007, while ‘Into Thin Air’ features more chiming guitars and melodies-a-plenty and ‘We Never Made Up Our Minds’ is an especially beautiful, orchestral number.

An outstanding new entry to the Matinée discography, ‘Seconds’ is glistening jangle pop genius perfect for fans of Brighter, The Smiths, The Stone Roses, The Field Mice or Harper Lee.

For band information, soundclips, early reviews, and more release details please see the catalog and artist pages, or visit the Matinée and The Electric Pop Group pages on Myspace. You can hear four songs on the Matinée sounds page, or tracks from the album rotating weekly on MySpace.

The CD is available now in the Matinée shop and from select record emporiums across the globe, plus digitally via iTunes, emusic, Amazon mp3, and other good digital providers. Enjoy!

matinée 073
PALE SUNDAY – SHOOTING STAR EP

Tracklisting:
1. Shooting Star
2. Are You Scared To Get Happy?
3. Before I Found You
4. Unknown Half

Fantastic new single from adored Brazilian indiepop heroes Pale Sunday! The band debuted on Matinée in 2003 with the incredibly popular single ‘A Weekend with Jane’ (matinée 049) and made loads of new friends with their 2005 album ‘Summertime?’ (matcd037). The first new recordings from the band in over four years, the exclusive new ‘Shooting Star’ EP proves the band still has the gift of writing modern indiepop classics with superb melodies and sing-along choruses.

The title track is an infectious pop hit with jangling guitars, an especially strong melody and nice harmonies. It’s a catchy burst of summertime any time of the year. ‘Are You Scared To Get Happy?’ proves the band has more than a few shoegaze records in their record collection, layering in fuzzy Teenage Fanclub-esque guitar parts and building to a multilayered orchestral ending with strings and more harmonies. ‘Before I Found You’ is shimmering pop at its best with more jangling guitar goodness, perfect melodies, handclaps, and tambourines, while ‘Unknown Half’ mixes multiple guitars with keyboards and other nice instrumentation to conclude the EP.

With four instantly memorable songs, ‘Shooting Star’ is a dazzling new release for Matinée and a very welcome return for Pale Sunday! Limited to 1000 copies in custom minijacket.

For band information, soundclips, reviews, and more release details please see the catalog and artist pages, or visit the Matinée and Pale Sunday pages on Myspace. You can hear songs on the Matinée sounds page, or tracks from the single rotating weekly on MySpace. The CD is available now in the Matinée shop and from select record emporiums across the globe, plus digitally via iTunes, emusic, Amazon mp3, and other good digital providers. Enjoy!

matcd054
NORTHERN PORTRAIT – CRIMINAL ART LOVERS

Tracklisting:
1. The Münchhausen In Me
2. When Goodness Falls
3. Crazy
4. The Operation Worked But The Patient Died
5. Criminal Art Lovers
6. Life Returns To Normal
7. Murder Weapon
8. What Happens Next?
9. That’s When My Headaches Begin
10. New Favourite Moment

Highly anticipated debut album from distinguished Danish band Northern Portrait! Following the very well received ‘Fallen Aristocracy’ and ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ EPs in 2008, the band spent most of 2009 refining its live set with shows in the UK, Denmark, Germany and USA including performances at the prestigious San Francisco Popfest and Indietracks Festival. These shows also provided an opportunity to preview some of the songs that comprise ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ to favorable response. The resulting ten track album is a triumph for the band that should help solidify their status as one of indiepop’s most loved new bands.

Lead track ‘The Münchhausen in Me’ starts things off in decidedly jangling fashion with 12-string guitars plus autoharp and glockenspiel adding a special touch to the sound. Navigating between truth and semi-truth can be a difficult thing—sometimes fainting might be the only way out. ‘When Goodness Falls’ is an incredibly catchy song about people who are scared to remain true to themselves, and what a wonderful feeling it is to go against their will and completely, intentionally disappoint them. Musically bright, the song is the natural heir to the Smiths classic ‘This Charming Man’.

Third track ‘Crazy’ is the only previously released song on the album, although this is a slightly different mix than the one contained on the debut single. The mix of acoustic and electric Rickenbackers jangle in all the right places and the vocals suit the music perfectly. A song that has been around since the very first days of Northern Portrait, it is a modern pop classic that has been incredibly well received for good reason.

‘The Operation Worked But The Patient Died’ is the sound of Northern Portrait trying to write a British Sea Power song. With a touch of The La’s and Sleeper-esque guitars, the song adds a dose of essential drama to the album. Meanwhile, superb title track ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ is a song about beatniks on picnics, busy tourists, and the comfy life…or perhaps just a not-so-good day at the office. With nice bursts of percussion, the song builds to an extraordinarily melodic ending that will have you reaching straight for the repeat button.

Side two begins with lush guitar track ‘Life Returns To Normal.’ Lyrically the song draws upon a poem about Volvo Estate cars, perhaps providing the line “my estate will take you anywhere” a clever double meaning. In any event, the song is another classic that will have you dancing by the end. This will serve you well as the album continues with ‘Murder Weapon’ keeping things sonically upbeat, even if the song is inspired by an article in British Vogue about women’s sophisticated cruelty towards one other when it comes to fashion and style.

‘What Happens Next?’ is an up-tempo and energetic song about the collision of people with completely different agendas. It is one of the earliest Northern Portrait songs, initially recorded with the two tracks that would go on to serve as lead tracks for the band’s initial EPs. Returning to the same rhythm as ‘When Goodness Falls’, the song is a favorite of the Northern Portrait live repertoire.

With its slow build-up and rich sound, ‘That’s When My Headaches Begin’ has a certain widescreen feel to it that takes the listener somewhere beyond the other tunes found on the album. Musically inspired by early Suede, the lyrics return to the theme from the Napoleon Sweetheart EP track ‘In An Empty Hotel’. Ending the record on a positive note, ‘New Favourite Moment’ is a catchy, Rickenbacker dance track with an instrumental chorus, so people won’t have to learn any lyrics and can focus on twisting their bodies instead! Just try to resist…

Building on the amazing promise demonstrated by its two EPs, Northern Portrait have delivered the consummate debut album as ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ is the first certified album of the year contender for 2010.

For band information, soundclips, early reviews, and more release details please see the catalog and artist pages, or visit the Matinée and Northern Portrait pages on Myspace. You can hear four songs on the Matinée sounds page, or tracks from the album rotating weekly on MySpace. The CD is available now in the Matinée shop and from select record emporiums across the globe, plus digitally via iTunes, emusic, Amazon mp3, and other good digital providers.

The band is scheduling live dates as we speak so watch this space for news on catching them in a city near you soon. For now, hope you enjoy the album as much as we do!

Hey pop purists, it’s time to announce the winners of the eighth annual Matinée fanclub poll! The results are now posted on the archive page and summarized here for your convenience.

The Matinée album of the year award goes to ‘Our Temperance Movement’ (matcd052) from Cats on Fire (36 votes), followed very closely by the debut album ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) from Northern Portrait (34) and the ‘Matinée Grand Prix’ (matcd050) compilation (21). In a field of very solid contenders it is nice to see some of our newest bands sharing the glory this time.

In the singles category, The Hermit Crabs took top honors with the ‘Correspondence Course’ EP (matinée 071) edging out the ‘Picture Perfect’ EP (matinée 072) from Strawberry Whiplash by just one vote (39 and 38 votes, respectively). Pale Sunday racked up a respectable 34 votes for its ‘Shooting Star’ EP (matinée 073) in the last few weeks of the year.

The ‘Matinée Grand Prix’ (matcd050) compilation provided seven of the top 20 songs of the year in voting, including the coveted number one spot for ‘I Keep To Myself’ from Math and Physics Club (21 votes). The top five songs also include ‘Crazy’ from Northern Portrait (20), ‘Get-To-Bed Birds’ from The Lucksmiths (17), ‘Picture Perfect’ from Strawberry Whiplash (16), and ‘Tears In Your Cup’ from Cats on Fire (14). Other favorites of the year include ‘Disappointed’ from Clay Hips (12), ‘Cuts Like A Dream’ from Bubblegum Lemonade (11), ‘Letters From A Voyage To Sweden’ from Cats on Fire (11), ‘Danger Overboard’ from Tender Trap (11), ‘Lay Down Your Arms’ from Cats on Fire (9), ‘Correspondence Course’ from The Hermit Crabs (9), and ‘New Favourite Moment’ from Northern Portrait (9). Additional songs from Cats on Fire, The Electric Pop Group, The Guild League, The Hermit Crabs, Northern Portrait and Pale Sunday complete the top 20.

In the favorite Matinée artist category, The Lucksmiths secured the number one spot for an impressive eighth year in a row with 32 votes. Northern Portrait (22) and Math and Physics Club (16) took second and third. Other favorite bands include Cats on Fire (11), Harper Lee (10), Tender Trap (9), The Guild League (8), Would-Be-Goods (8), The Electric Pop Group (7), and Lovejoy (6).

The Lucksmiths also took the favorite Matinée album of all time category this year with 24 votes for ‘Warmer Corners’ (matcd039). ‘Math and Physics Club’ (matcd042) from Math and Physics Club came in second (21 votes), while ‘Singles 1989-1992’ (matcd026) from Brighter (18), ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) from Northern Portrait (16), and ‘Our Temperance Movement’ (matcd052) from Cats on Fire (15) all made the top five. Other album favorites include ‘R is for Razorcuts’ (matcd012) from Razorcuts (13), ‘Everything’s Going To Be OK’ (matcd020) from Harper Lee (11), ‘Where Were We?’ (matcd019) from The Lucksmiths (11), ‘Slum Clearance’ (matcd005) from The Siddeleys (9), ‘All Things Can Be Mended’ (matcd033) from Harper Lee (8), ‘First Frost’ (matcd049) from The Lucksmiths (8), ‘This is Farewell’ (matcd031) from The Fairways (7), ‘Inner North’ (matcd034) from The Guild League (7), ‘Eventyr’ (matcd047) from Would-Be-Goods (7), and ‘It’s Been A While’ (matcd043) from The Pines (6).

Northern Portrait have the top Matinée single of all time as their debut ‘The Fallen Aristocracy’ EP (matinée 068) earned 23 votes to lead the final category. Other favorite singles include ‘T-Shirt Weather’ EP (matinée 018) from The Lucksmiths (19), ‘Napoleon Sweetheart’ EP (matinée 070) from Northern Portrait (16), ‘Weekends Away’ EP (matinée 056) from Math and Physics Club (13), ‘Train Not Stopping’ EP (matinée 032) from Harper Lee (12), ‘Untidy Towns’ 7” (matinée 004) from The Lucksmiths (11), ‘Baby I’m Yours’ EP (matinée 066) from Math and Physics Club (11), ‘A Hiccup In Your Happiness’ EP (matinée 060) from The Lucksmiths (10), ‘Movie Ending Romance’ EP (matinée 059) from Math and Physics Club (10), ‘Sunday Lovely Sunday’ EP (matinée 016) from Edson (9), ‘Emmanuelle Béart’ EP (matinée 030) from Would-Be-Goods (9), ‘Sunrise’ EP (matinée 067) from The Electric Pop Group (8), ‘Darling, Don’t You Think’ 7” (matinée 009) from The Fairways (8), ‘Ten Years Younger’ EP (matinée 064) from Bubblegum Lemonade (7), and ‘He Holds A Flame’ EP (matinée 061) from Harper Lee (7).

Now that 2009 polling has ended, we can reveal that the four new releases (Northern Portrait, The Electric Pop Group, Pale Sunday and the Matinée Grand Prix compilation) are all technically 2010 releases so you’ll have a chance to vote for them in the 2010 poll if you haven’t heard them yet. Congratulations to all the Matinée artists and thanks to everyone who entered the poll this year. The winner of the $50 prize drawing is Kent Mathews from Houston, Texas. Nice one! Now on to 2010…

matcd050
VARIOUS ARTISTS – THE MATINEE GRAND PRIX

Tracklisting:
1. Northern Portrait – Stirling Moss
2. Strawberry Whiplash – Boy In The Bubble Car
3. The Lucksmiths – Get-to-Bed Birds
4. The Electric Pop Group – Believers
5. Clay Hips – Disappointed
6. Tender Trap – Danger Overboard
7. Simpático – Australian Idle
8. Cats on Fire – The Hague
9. Bubblegum Lemonade – Cuts Like A Dream
10. Math And Physics Club – I Keep To Myself
11. The Guild League – Bookmark

Brilliant new collection of songs from Matinée’s truly international coterie of popstars. The disc kicks off with a firm favorite from Denmark’s Northern Portrait entitled ‘Stirling Moss’ which establishes a car racing theme rather nicely. Scottish popkids Strawberry Whiplash answer the challenge with new smash ‘Boy In The Bubble Car,’ while Australian legends The Lucksmiths deliver their swansong recording with the predictably stunning ‘Get-to-bed Birds.’

Sweden’s The Electric Pop Group is represented with perhaps their strongest song to date ‘Believers,’ while Clay Hips—American expats living in Germany and Ireland—don’t disappoint channeling their inner Pet Shop Boys with ‘Disappointed.’ The album’s centerpoint sees the return of England’s mighty Tender Trap after four years with the new classic ‘Danger Overboard,’ and Australia has its second contender with the very welcome return of Simpático and new favorite ‘Australian Idle.’

Finland’s Cats on Fire begin the year with a fantastic new song called ‘The Hague,’ while Scotland is back in fine form with Bubblegum Lemonade and ‘Cuts Like A Dream.’ Finally, American hipsters Math and Physics Club break a two-year silence with a great new song called ‘I Keep To Myself,’ and Australia’s The Guild League soundtrack the final lap of the compilation with the lovely ‘Bookmark.’

Demonstrating the continuing strength of the label’s roster, this timeless collection is a vital release for the Matinée faithful and a fantastic introduction to some of the best indie bands of today.

For soundclips, early reviews, and more release details please see the catalog page. You can hear six songs on the Matinée sounds page, or tracks from the album rotating on MySpace. The CD is available now in the Matinée shop and from select record emporiums across the globe, plus digitally via iTunes, emusic, Amazon mp3, and other good digital providers.

Happy 2010! We are tabulating the results of our year-end fanclub poll and will reveal the winners following a short trip to Washington DC this week. In the meantime, we have published lists of 2009 favorites from Matinée artists in the archive so check them out!

We have also updated the order page to reflect current stockists across the globe. Of particular note to anyone in the UK is the great new Pebble Records mailorder, which has stock on nearly the entire Matinée catalog and all at great prices too.

Finally, Northern Portrait ended 2009 atop the Matinée hit parade once again. Here are the top sellers for last month:

10. The Electric Pop Group – Sunrise CDEP
9. Math and Physics Club – Weekends Away CDEP
8. Sweet William – Dutch Mother 7”
7. Northern Portrait – The Fallen Aristocracy CDEP
6. Northern Portrait – Napoleon Sweetheart CDEP
5. Strawberry Whiplash – Picture Perfect CDEP
4. Pale Sunday – Shooting Star CDEP
3. The Electric Pop Group – Seconds CD
2. Various – The Matinée Grand Prix CD
1. Northern Portrait – Criminal Art Lovers CD

At last…it’s time for the annual Matinée fanclub poll! Once a year we survey you lovely people to see which of our brilliant new Matinée releases made you smile and reward lucky fans with a selection of free records in the process. This year, we’ve delayed the start of the polling to allow the brand new releases a chance in the running too so hopefully your order has arrived so you can participate! If not, there’s still time to place an order before the entries are due next month.

Official 2009 album of the year contenders include ‘The Matinée Grand Prix’ (matcd050) compilation plus ‘Speak Up’ (matcd051) from The Guild League, ‘Our Temperance Movement’ (matcd052) from Cats on Fire, ‘Seconds’ (matcd053) from The Electric Pop Group, and ‘Criminal Art Lovers’ (matcd054) from Northern Portrait. That’s an impressive run even in the Matinée scorebook.

The three single of the year contenders for 2009 are the ‘Correspondence Course’ EP (matinée 071) from The Hermit Crabs, ‘Picture Perfect EP (matinée 072) from Strawberry Whiplash, and ‘Shooting Star’ EP (matinée 073) from Pale Sunday. Which one is your favorite?

As always, we are also collecting votes for song of the year, favorite Matinée artists, and favorite Matinée albums and singles of all time. Please take a moment to vote for your favorites. As with prior polls, simply entering earns you a chance to win free music and this year anything goes with a special $50 merchandise bonanza for one lucky winner in the prize draw! The poll closes January 15th so go here to complete your entry today and best of luck in the draw.

The warehouse clearance sale continues at the mailorder until January 5th so please see the order page for fantastic savings on most of the catalog. Stock is very low on several titles so this may be your last chance at a few of these gems.

All the new releases are now shipping and we have just added free mp3s to the sounds page from Northern Portrait, Simpático and Cats on Fire so have a listen if you haven’t picked up the new ones yet. Please see news below for more information on all the 2009 releases. More free mp3s next week from The Electric Pop Group and Pale Sunday!

Thanks for your support in 2009 and all the best for a splendid new year! xx-Jimmy